atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Avaya - Lucent Telephones & Systems End Of The Line For The Partner ACS?

Has anyone heard any rumblings about Avaya establishing a timeline for the end of the Partner ACS?

I just read a post (I will provide the link if anyone is interested) where the vendor was told by his Avaya rep that unofficially the R7 is the final release and that the Partner ACS will be out of production by the end of 2010.

It really wouldn't surprise me if that is true.

They closed out one of the best systems to ever have a power cord with the Magix.

I too have heard the Partner may be short lived as they are putting all R & D in IP.

I don't have a clue about the timeline, but if I recall correctly, the Partner family of systems has been around since about 1988. That's a pretty impressive run for any product in my opinion. I think that they are making yet another mistake, but hey, what do we know? We are just phone people.

Here is the link. (1043 reveals another possible reason why the Merlin Magix was canned).

https://tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1300207&page=1

(I made my feelings known right after 1043.)

I would like to see Avaya offer some sort of a traditional telephone system for those who would not be best served by a VOIP system.

Yeah, I don't sell Partners but I make a lot of money replacing them so this does concern me. They have always been a good 5-7 year system for customers with minimal requirements. They are doing what they should; giving the life expectancy that any phone system should.

I might add that you can buy a computer today and within a year, what you end up with outdated equipment. At least with Partners, you don't receive laughter when you needed something more next year.

If it does go away for good, it will only be after many, many years of hard service. There aren't many systems out there that can boast that (at least without starting a battle).

That would be a big mistake. Costwise the Partner system is a hard sell for many customers as it is. The IP Office, for the same number of seats is much more and at minimum requires a PC to administer it.

Unless Avaya drastically reduces their prices or introduces another low cost TDM solution I think they are going to lose the small to medium size business market.

-Hal

My supervisior doubts there will be a revision 8, but we kind of doubt that the Partner will stop being made...

Maybe another manufacturer will take up the platform...Or it will be replaced by something else like Intertel did with Executone (by Alcatel maybe...didn't they buy out Avaya or something?)

Regarding Executone and Intertel by the way, that is what I understand happened, but if I am wrong, please let me know...

Hal brings up an interesting point.

It seems like support for the small business market is slowly eroding. Providers (service and otherwise) seem more interested in going after the multi-million dollar corporations than looking after the "little guy".

The rumors & speculation that the One-X will become the replacement for the Partner may end up being true after all.

My guess is that the One-X will also take the place of the partner. When that will happen, who knows...

Just looking at the One-X what's in it for us? Pretty much a plug and play KSU-less system aimed at end-user installation. If they have a network simply plug it all in and plug in the phone lines.

Expect the One-X to be sold at Staples and Home Depot.

-Hal